Emirates prepares for triple A380 launch

Emirates will launch a three new Airbus A380 routes within three days next week.

On 1 December, the Dubai-based carrier will commence A380 services to San Francisco, followed by the launch of flights to Milan on 2 December. A new A380 service to Houston on 3 December will round off the quick-fire expansion.

With these three new routes, Emirates’ A380 network will grow to 33 destinations.

“Emirates now has 55 A380s in its fleet – one third of all A380s currently in the skies,” said Hubert Frach, Emirates’ divisional senior vice president of commercial operations.

“Having the ability to launch three new A380 destinations in three days is no small feat. It requires careful planning, multi-department coordination, airport preparedness and above all the tenacity to make it happen.

“Ultimately it is about serving our customers, whom we know are eagerly anticipating the opportunity to experience our A380 based on the demand that we’ve seen on all our A380 routes to date,” he added.

It’s been a busy year for the Emirates A380 programme, with 11 of the double-decked aircraft having joined the airline’s fleet in 2014. This has already allowed Emirates to launch nine new A380 destinations in the past 12 months, including Mumbai, Frankfurt, Dallas and Kuwait.

Emirates’ San Francisco service will operate daily, departing Dubai at 0850 and arriving at San Francisco International Airport at 1250 the same day. The return flight will leave the Californian city at 1530 and arrive back in Dubai at 1925 the following day.

On the Milan route, Emirates’ A380 will leave Dubai at 1540 and land at the Italian city’s Malpensa Airport at 1935. The return flight departs Milan at 2120 and arrives back in Dubai at 0625 the next day.
Finally, Emirates’ daily A380 flight to Houston will depart Dubai at 0930 and arrive at George Bush Intercontinental Airport at 1605. The return flight takes off from Houston at 1825 and lands back in Dubai at 1905 the following day.